Bryce & Zion National Parks Bike Tour
This tour is perfect for the beginner to BA. Biking terrain is not difficult, roads were well paved, there were paved bike trails and no cars in Zion! And, hiking was spectacular. Not a lot of van time!
The guides were very experienced, but also beautifully spontaneous and good fun. All accommodation and meals were first class, and snacks, water and other supplies were available and provided during each day.
Although the least experienced cyclist, I felt perfectly safe and accomplished! Scenery and accommodations were top notch. Food and wine spot on. Would I do it again? Yes!
Fabulous week exploring the beauty of our parks while enjoying biking and hiking with great people. Guides were wonderful and fun and took care of everything.
This is the best package for a bicycling/hiking vacation. Don't even consider the other companies. A+ for BA!
Bicycling Magazine’s editor called it “the most awe-inspiring and unique landscape I’ve ever pedaled through.” Bryce and Zion National Parks are a marvel. Mega-boulders of orange sandstone balance on razor-thin needles; arches glow with unearthly fire; slot canyons unspool between cliffs of gold and rose. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cyclist, this biking and hiking tour gives you an intimate encounter with the canyonlands – from curving roads to labyrinths, aspen forests and breathtaking panoramas.
ZION HIKING UPDATE: In 2022, due to overcrowding at Angel’s Landing, Zion National Park implemented an advanced permitting lottery system to hike the “chains” to the Landing. Our standard hike is the same as it has always been. We ascend “Walter’s Wiggles” and take in the view from “Scouts Lookout” (next to the Landing). In 2023, due to changes in the permitting system, Bicycle Adventures can no longer guarantee Angels Landing permits for guests. If you are interested in doing the “chain hike” to Angels Landing, you can enter the public lottery for permits here, and our guide will accompany you. Contact Bicycle Adventures’ office for more information. NOTE: The chain hike is NOT recommended for anyone with a fear of heights or exposure!
This tour is operated under special use permit/s with Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Dixie National Forest and the Utah Dept. of Transportation. Bicycle Adventures is an equal opportunity provider.
Itinerary
Day 01
Meet in St. George. Ride from the giant Cedar Breaks amphitheater to Panguitch, then (if you wish) to the hotel near the entrance to Bryce Canyon.
Meals
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel or the Main Lodge at Ruby’s Inn
Distance
56 miles (mostly downhill – the 15 mi. / +1200 ft afternoon climb into Bryce is optional)
Elevation
+2,148 ft / -4,942 ft (the 15 mi. / +1200 ft afternoon climb into Bryce is optional)
Meet us in St. George, Utah (public shuttle is available from the Las Vegas airport.) Begin riding just north of there, in Dixie National Forest’s Cedar Breaks National Monument — a huge amphitheater of amazing red and orange sandstone sculptures carved by the wind and rain. Pedal down a long, gradual hillside, descending through the aspens and pines of Dixie National Forest to the flat farmland around the town of Panguitch. Cycle past the vivid sandstone formations of Red Canyon on a paved bike path leading to Bryce Canyon National Park, where you’ll spend the next two nights at Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel or the Main Lodge at Ruby’s Inn.
Day 02
Hike the Navajo / Queens Garden loop in the morning and ride from panoramic Rainbow Point in the afternoon.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel or the Main Lodge at Ruby’s Inn
Distance
21 miles cycling, plus some hiking
Elevation
+926 ft / -2,372 ft cycling
Go for a hike on the Navajo / Queens Garden loop in the morning. Cone-shaped hoodoos resembling wizards and gnomes guard the path; ravens call down to them from above and beyond every curve lies a jaw-dropping view. In the afternoon, ride from panoramic Rainbow Point back to the hotel – a delightful 17-mile downhill – or tackle a more challenging ride there-and-back.
Day 03
Watch the sun rise over Bryce's hoodoos. Ride into jaw-dropping Zion National Park.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Springhill Suites, or the Lodge at Zion Country
Distance
35 miles
Elevation
+2038 ft / -3966 ft (NOTE: tunnel significantly skews these elevation gain/loss stats)
Start off with a sunrise walk to our favorite Bryce Canyon overlook. Statue-like hoodoos appear to glow from within as the sun’s rays creep down the canyon walls. After breakfast, bicycle through ranch lands along the Sevier and Virgin Rivers into Zion National Park. Bicycling magazine calls Zion “one of the world’s most beautiful places to ride.” Desert sheep greet you at the entrance and red cliffs tower above the road as you descend the east side of the canyon into Springdale, Spend the next three nights at Springhill Suites, or the Lodge at Zion Country.
Day 04
Hike past "Walters Wiggles" to "Scouts Lookout" atop the canyon walls.
Meals
– Breakfast
Lodging
Springhill Suites, or the Lodge at Zion Country
Distance
Hike: 3.6 miles
Elevation
+1.115 ft / -1,115 ft
Today we head to a panoramic vista point above the canyon walls. Wind your way up “Walter’s Wiggles” to “Scouts Lookout.” People with an extreme fear of heights may prefer a more leisurely stroll to a beautiful waterfall.
Prefer to ride? Choose between scenic and challenging cycling options inside Zion National Park and on its border (no van support). Since the Park Service runs frequent free shuttle buses from our inn, through town, to the visitor center, and through Zion’s valley floor, you can customize your experience. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.
Day 05
Hike into the Narrows – a stunningly scenic slot canyon hailed as the ‘best hike in all the National Park System’.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Springhill Suites, or the Lodge at Zion Country
Distance
5.1 mile maximum round-trip. This is a wet-hike over uneven terrain with little or no elevation gain.
Conditions permitting, we offer a river walk into the Virgin River’s Narrows – a stunningly gorgeous slot canyon with walls towering more than 1,000 feet high. The river covers the narrow canyon’s base wall-to-wall in places, so you’ll be wading in and out of ankle-to-waist-deep water as you navigate a rock-walled passageway. We supply walking sticks and waders.
Day 06
One last ride to remember - through fabulous Zion Canyon - before we head back to St. George.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Distance
19 miles
Elevation
+1283 ft / -1280 ft
Ride the virtually traffic-free Scenic Drive through Zion Canyon – no cars are allowed here! The cruise up and back to the end of the road along the valley floor can take much longer than the mileage may indicate as you stop to take photos, gaze up at the massive, multicolored cliffs, and contemplate the sparkling river. The tour ends after lunch back in Springdale with a one-hour shuttle back to St. George.
*Bicycle Adventures operates under special use permits while on Federal Lands managed by the National Forest Service (USDA), National Parks and Bureau of Land Management. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
